N batteries

What's the deal with these? Are they a specialty battery? I guess what I'm asking is there anything special about them. Do not see them used much

I only know of them from old slot cars.

They were used in lights like the Tekna Micro Lite. 2 N cells @ 1.5 volts results in a small package. Run time about an hour and lumens about 10. They are used in some medical devices. They are basically an alkaline in a small package. Nothing fancy though.

I have to keep some around for my HP 41CX calculator. AFAIK, just a small alkaline cell, from the days before NiMH and LiIon became popular.

Yes, a smaller form factor.

I also have these in NiMH, since I still have a few N-cell flashlights around. Unfortunately no "low-self-discharge" versions available (that I know of anyway)

Thanks guys.

Early LED Lenser lights used 3 N cells to achieve that whopping 12 lumens from the Tri V model.
Don Kellers answer to the Maglite Solitaire was 2 N cells in a narrow body light about the length of a double a battery plus a flashlight head. It was a clicky too.
He ran a company called Sigma Lite that developed that one, but it never made it to market.

I bought a few 6 packs for my Tekna lights made by a company called PK Cells. No it is not that PK. But they are the best N cells for the money anymore.

Streamlight has N lights.Thats what started me wondering about them and why companies would use them. Low output lights I'm guessing.

Just a small and short form factor from back in the day. I wouldn't seek out a light using N. They can be hard to find and a bit costly. I assume the alkaline versions could also be prone to leakage.

N cells were used in some early pocket calculators, and rechargeable N cells were used in some pagers.
Also some early hearing aids.
Never a mass market size.

I think(?) N cells were used in some MILES gear.

I remember as a kid seeing N cells sold in stores back in the 70s. They were tiny. I'm guessing they were used in slot cars and some mini penlights, maybe keychain lights or something.

I don't see them in stores anymore but they can be found online like on Amazon. Now with mini lithium cells, I figure mini alkalines have limited application these days.

Back at the very beginning of the LED age, some people fitted three N cells into a mini Maglite in place of the intended pair of AA cells, to direct drive a white LED. The LED itself and the three small cells had enough resistance to limit the current to a reasonable figure.